DFMDecember2016
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Thisarticleisthefirstinaseriesdesignedtohelp
Defence families deal with
financial stress.
If you are feeling financial
stress it’s important to be
proactive. The good news is
that there are positive steps
you can take and plenty of
help available to get you
back on track. Here are two
of the most powerful things
you can do.
Do a budget. One of the
best tools for this is the
budget planner on the
moneysmart.gov.au website.
The magic of doing a
budget is that it will give a
clear picture of where your
money is going and on
what. Often this is all you
need to see where you can
make savings and reduce
the pressure. Next, decide
whether you will realistically
be able to pay your debts
and meet expenses. If you
think that no matter what
you do you will have
trouble paying your debts;
it’s time to seek urgent
help from a financial
counsellor.
See a financial
counsellor. Financial
counsellors are expert at
helping people who are
DOING
ANGER
DIFFERENTLY
TOP TIPS FOR DEALING
WITH FINANCIAL STRESS
ANGER IS A NORMAL AND often useful emotion.
However, when it gets OUT OF CONTROL, occurs too
frequently, or becomes an automatic response to everyday events,
ANGER BECOMES A PROBLEM.
WALKING AWAY
Sometimes you just need to
clear your head, and release
frustrations. When you’re too
angry to deal with something
in a productive or helpful
way, tell the person/people
that you need some time and
walk away, go for a run/walk
or find something to distract
you. When you’re calmer,
you’ll be able to approach
the situation differently.
COUNTING TO 100
Thinking about something
other than what’s angering
you, allows you to calm down
and re-assess the situation
without the aggression.
TALKING TO
SOMEONE
Find someone to offload to;
a friend, family member,
counsellor or psychologist.
Counsellors are especially
good because they’re trained
to deal with anger, and aren’t
connected to the situation
affecting you.
“Like any condition,
the sooner someone seeks
help for the underlying cause
and to learn alternative coping
strategies, the more likely
they are to manage a
situation in a positive way,”
Stephanie said.
In addition to providing
counselling, VVCS offers the
Doing Anger Differently group
program which helps participants
to understand the causes of their
anger and learn strategies to
better manage anger and
reduce its impact on daily life.
Eligible members of the
ADF, veteran and ex-service
community (including family
members), who may be dealing
with anger concerns are
encouraged to contact VVCS
to discuss support and
counselling options available
in their region. n
For help or to check
eligibility for VVCS services,
call 1800 011 046 (24/7) or
visit www.vvcs.gov.au.
VETERANS AND VETERANS
FAMILIES COUNSELLING SERVICE
This training can be hard to
‘switch off’ in civilian life. In
response to everyday
stressors, habitual reactions,
embedded while on military
duty, can automatically
kick in. Unable to channel
this energy into a
constructive ‘known’ combat
response, means anger can
sometimes result. If not
identified and managed
appropriately, anger can
lead to violence.
Dr Stephanie Hodson,
National Manager at the
Veterans and Veterans
Families Counselling Service
(VVCS), says anger
management is about
knowing your triggers and
early warning signs.
“It’s also using techniques
to calm down and manage
the situation before it gets out
of control,” she says.
Some basic techniques
for anger management
include:
M
ilitary personnel
are highly
trained, skilled
and sophisticated problem
solvers. They learn to
assess their environment
and react in a strategic
manner, allowing them to
be effective in high-risk,
high-pressure situations.
Most families experience SOME MONEY WORRIES
FROM TIME TO TIME. It’s been estimated recently
that as many as two million Australians are experiencing
HIGH FINANCIAL STRESS.
suffering financial stress,
and can not only negotiate
manageable repayments
with creditors, but also
provide the information and
skills you need to become
financially secure.
It’s important to find an
accredited financial
counsellor and avoid those
that seek to profit from your
difficulties. These may
include businesses which
earn fees by providing you
with a ‘debt consolidation
loan’ or signing you up to a
‘debt agreement’ with your
creditors.
We will talk more about
how to avoid some of these
traps in future editions. n
FRANK LILLEY, ADF FINANCIAL
SERVICES CONSUMER CENTRE
THE EASIEST WAYS TO FIND
A FINANCIAL COUNSELLOR ARE
TO CALL FINANCIAL COUNSELLING
AUSTRALIA ON 1800 007 007 OR
CONTACT THE ADF FINANCIAL
SERVICES CONSUMER CENTRE VIA
ADFCONSUMER.GOV.AU FOR
A REFERRAL.
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INTHESPOTLIGHT